The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-12-23

zen days anyhow, meDDe TWO WeekS,'
he answered. 1.-THE wilder IL expect me "a
settle up his affairs, more or less"
Ted looked.at Nan with q grimace of un-
uttcreble delight; IL the father had seen il,
it is doubtful whether duty even could have
urged him from home, certainly not without
administering spanking all round.
'Get my things ready q soon a. you can, ~
he resumed, ''for want to catch the three
O'Clock train, sure, and you, Ted, get the
boss harnessed sO'st to take me to the
depot"
"Yess'r," replied Ted; no danger but
that Ted would do bis share, and be on time,
too.
Nan was on hand, like Jack-in-the-bo box,
to spring at every call, and bring the soap
and the towel, the backing brush and whisk
broom, for Joseph Rexford loved to be
waited on, and his toilet for o journey, long
or short, was the signal for q series Of
gymnastics, participated in by the whole
family.
Haif-past two came, and Doll was al the
door, and Ted, with O very unbecoming
shade Of happiness en- his countenance, held
the reins.
you'll want some money, s'pose?" said
Mr.. RexfOrd, graciously, for him, as he
drew on his 0vercoat There's five dol
lars" and he passed the precious morsel
out from roll Of greenbacks, gingerly; he
was not q poor man, by any means, and
could have given her twenty five just as
easily.
ayes, Joseph" she replied, meekly, as
she tucked away the bill; she did not intend
he should ever see it again, or an exhaust
i've report Of the uses made Of it, either.
"Wall, goodbye, Jane" The drew on his
Gloves "don't let the young ones run over
you while I'm gone"
"No, Joseph" she replied, demurely,
with an inward smile.
He went out; there was no silly demon
stration of affection at parting. A kiss from
those stern lips would have been an aston
ishment that the family would not have re-
covered from in week, end, getting into
the waiting sleigh, old Doll moved away.
Nan turned a somersault; she was fine,
loving child, and would have been as happy
as lark, under favorable circumstances.
"Oh, goody, goody, goodyI" she az
clGimed, in glad sollloquy.
Flush, Nannie,n said the mother, 70
provingly, though in her secret heart she
could not blanc the child for the ebullition.
Ted returned in due time, and the de-
parture was an assured thing, and the boy
already held up his head with an accession
of self-respect, as he took his place - man
of the house. One week was only short
time to plan in, but judicious effort can &C
complish much in even . weeks time, and
Mrs. Rexford's plans were chiefly in the
line Of merry making, such one a. they
had never been allowed to have.
Her first move was letter to sister,
living twenty miles away, with an invitation
to spend Christmas.
A visit from Aunt Nan was rare treat
to the children at any time, one which they
rarely enjoyed, however, for Aunt Nan and
Joseph Rexford were not congenial spirits,
she not being able TO bottle upher indignant
wrath when he exercised his peculiar gift
of government in her presence; he not
relishing her ''meddlin'," as he designated
her rather free use of her tongue on occa-
sions, and so she wisely concluded that 1t
was best to see as little of the domestic
economy as possible, and kept away, to Mrs.
Rexford's mingled grief and relief.
Teddy's heart, in the meantime, was filed
with great longing; he wanted to make
the patient little mother, whom he loved
with tender, chiva.rous devotion, . Christ
mas present.
In the thirteen years of his life he had no
remembrance of her receiving Christmas
gift, and he was in o brown study the great
or part Of his time, planning and contriving
some way to surprise her with . present,
but n yet no way had opened.
Harness Doll, Teddy, and Wen 60 70 The
village today" said the mother one morn
ing. Teddy smiled knowingly - be hurried
away to obey her request and in . short